Welcome to the meandering musical insights of Aaron Joy (me!), formerly known as the Roman Midnight Music Blog. Here you'll find nearly 750 reviews of CDs & DVDs of rock & metal in all its variations, mainstream & indie, good & bad, U.S. & foreign. A new review every Monday.

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August 3, 2010

Tired Wings ~ You Snooze, You Lose (EP) ... The road we call life!


Style: blues-rock, hard rock
Label: self-released
Year: 2009
Home: New York City, New York

Members: Charles "Rev Mongoose" Canedo ~ guitar/vocals/bass
Luis Cambrero ~ drums





Imagine an old bluesman whose spent too much time in juke joints playing on his electric guitar, repeatedly trying to confess his average soul through unheard lyrics, playing with frightful abandon his three-chord blues progressions, with his band behind him trying to propel things to new levels. Got it? The frontman of TW isn't quite an old bluesman but the side of his personality he's revealed on this debut EP is wandering on the same road. With a near ominous bleeding guitar in the foreground TW rips through a cry of a normal heart crying for great heights in "Average Soul", reminding me of Lou Reed's "Average Guy" where he pleaded his normalcy after years of drug addiction. Might songwriter Charles be doing the same thing after his own trials in life? While "Roll With You" is groove based gritty heaviness I always thought could careen out of control on stage if given the chance, or maybe it already has. With only four songs on an album it can be hard to have a highlight as, if planned well, each one should stand out equal. Though, every song by TW can fill one with lots of great energy, going straight to the groin, "Mountain Song" is probably a favorite of mine. In many ways it's the unlikely candidate. It has the simpliest riff, is the least personal lyrically & is probably the most under control sounding. But, it's all those things together that pull it out of the batch, plus a great wah-wah pedal solo ringing over a near drum solo that nearly sounds like two drummers. Showing the softer side of TW, the album ends almost with a coda with "Road We Call Life", an acoustic power ballad that would be better served on an EP of acoustic songs. But, then, TW have a rather raw & sloppy sound which doesn't quite translate on acoustic guitar. Luckily, the track breaks into electric guitars & drums, though it takes 5 out of 7:30 minutes to get there. But, on the other hand the chorus is: "I'm free & I'm tired, but I'm on the road again, on these tired wings". Every band should have a theme song. TW play around New York City with a pretty unpretentious stage show & are worth checking out. CONCERT REVIEW: Don Hill's, NYC, 2010. It had been over a year since I last saw TW in concert, the last time being their all too short debut. The next time I saw them was as a member of the band. This night actually featured the debut of a new bass player. Looking like Rob Zombie in his big boots, floor length pants and a devilish tophat frontman Charles is without doubt the force of the band that blasts an onslaught of sound through his guitar amp. The sad thing is that he's tied to a stationary position because of the guitar, but Charles is a frontman who is better with a guitar than pouncing around on stage with just a mic. He's a guitarist before anything. Maybe someday he'll have a second guitarist to at least decrease his burden of walking the tightrobe of both lead and rhythm a sole guitarist faces, but until then there's something nice about seeing just a trio of guys on stage. Behind the drumkit Luis is a flurry of waving arms and hair with a big smile on his face all the way. Drummers often get ignored but a good drummer is a spectacle in himself. As for the new bassist, last I heard he was still with them so it obviously was a good fit. Considering I know they pulled him from the rehearsal studio down the hall it's definetly convenient. Albeit, his predecessor was named Cup Cake, what's his nickname? 

33 comments:

  1. This is so sweet of you Arron : )
    Yeah !!!
    Yeah !!!
    Yeah !!!

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  2. Thanks for linking this article on your Tired Wings fan page

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  3. Thanks, though I don't understand the comment. But, on all my reviews you can always click the title and you'll get to the band's website. It's not the most obvious link I know but the way blogspot works.

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  4. I saw this link on the Tired Wings page on face book and I have to agree with Sydney, it is cool to see new music review pages. I like Tired Wings "Road we call life" and because they posted this link on there page I am introduced to RMM !!!

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  5. Charles once told me (yes, I'll confess, I used to play with the band) that "Road We Call Life" was the song he pictured for Madison Square Garden with an orchestra.

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  6. I saw them 3 times already and something about them reminds me of Motorhead, I can't explain it. I do agree that Mountain Song kicks ass !!!

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  7. I agree every band should have a theme song, I do think Road We Call Life fits in with T.W and having that song on this E.P only shows in my opinion the bands versatility. Sort of what Beth did for KISS. On a side note I love how you wrote this review and because of this review I will be reading RMM.

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  8. Actually, my photo in the right column is from one of my two shows with the band. Thanks. It's all free form composition. This EP was so short I couldn't help but dig into each song, though usually I don't. But, if I don't feel something right away I don't do a review.

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  9. Love this CD, I like Mountain Song, it keep my feet tapping. My wife totally likes Road we call Life. I still can't believe in less than a year time these guys came out in Classic Rock Magazine "Track of the Day Section"
    in the words of Tired Wings, Yeah ! Yeah ! Yeah !. Cheers to Roman Midnight Music in writing a honest review.
    Will you review the second CD ? I have not heard it yet.

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  10. I saw this link on the Tired Wings Face Book page.
    Nice to read a refreshing and honest review about an honest rock band.
    My favorite is Average Soul and Road we Call Life.
    Do you have the follow up E.P " You Slow ... You Blow !" ?
    Scorpion is my favorite on that.

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  11. If a review ain't honest - it's not going to appear here. I try to stay real. I've actually turned a couple submissions away cause I knew I couldn't respond honestly & in a way that would be either good or beneficial. And, if I do say something negative I try to put it in a beneficial context for the musicians.

    Yes! I will be doing the follow-up but in a couple months probably! I think it's a stronger album in some ways, or at least it's heavier.

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  12. I like Roll With You, that "yeah,yeah,yeah" chant makes me want to just get up on a bar stool and dance. I have modeled for this band photo shoot was fun and was even more fun afterwards. Being in the world of Tired Wings always has those comedic moments.
    I can't wait for the next CD !!!
    yeah, yeah , yeah

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  13. I find myself singing along to these tracks, especially "roll with you and mountain song". It is rock but more aggressive than what i normally used to, but in the end i guess it all boils down to song structure. Tired Wings makes me want to party and drink whiskey. lol.

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  14. This is what rock music is about , stripped to the bare essentials and lets the song take you, Mountain Song is my favorite on this CD

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  15. Yeah !!!
    Yeah !!!
    Yeah !!!

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  16. Road We Call life just shows how good this band could get. This CD is a good example of how versatile the group could be. The second CD continues where the group left off.

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  17. Like the grit on these songs, including Road we call life. That is the most musical of the 4. I have to show these songs to people that my help this band !!!

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  18. Thanks everyone for the feedback. I like to see it, but it's just as important for Charles from TW. Are you listening to the feedback, Charles?

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  19. I just read this today, I like the writing and the band Tired Wings, even though I never saw them live, only through the videos on you tube and the 8 songs they have available.
    Here in the U.K they are currently in the CD compilation put out by Classic Rock Magazine.

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  20. I have found a new band to get bladdered with. I only know one track from a compilation in that rag of a magazine classic rock. I have to admit the song is a blast.
    where do I find there music?
    where is my whiskey to go ?
    come to the U.K ! come to Wakefield !
    Tired Wings gives me hope for American rock music.

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  21. This here of an EP is and ace !!!
    I contacted the band through a link on the Classic Rock magazine link.
    and one of there members was kind enough to send me all of the tracks for free.
    How bout that !!! I always knew the Americans had it in them to be nice.
    Come to Liverpool !!!
    The rest of the U.K is waiting on you !!!

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  22. Yup. They are good guys. I played bass with them for awhile last year. My audition was they day they were dropping some guitar for "Road We Call Life". You can find ALL their songs on their myspace. Click the heading of the blog post to go there.

    Hope for American music? Oh, come on. And being nice? You're spending too much time watching only the news. Albeit, I watch the BBC! ha. Turn off the tv and listen to more music! Thanks for the comments.

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  23. Just got done listening to the Classic Rock CD compilation.
    The last song " Whiskey to Go " it keeps my feet tapping.
    I truly fancy this song.
    Forget the rest the true music town is in Cambridge U.K !!

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  24. this EP I cant find anywhere. where did you get it.
    I heard the stuff on last fm and the myspace but where do I get this before the second CD comes out ?

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  25. 1. The second EP is already available. A third, I've heard, is in the works.

    2. I got my copy at one of the shows. Contact the band via their myspace or find them on facebook to get a copy or write me via my e-mail and I'll put you directly in touch with Charles.

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  26. after a night out at the pubs here while listening to roll with you i needed a irn bru to fix meself - cheers from Glasgow

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  27. I just heard the song "Whiskey to go" on last.fm and I was curious to see if this band had any more songs. I ran across this detailed article of this CD.
    I just added them on myspace because I like the other songs that are on the second CD. Roll with you is my favorite from the four, but I do like the song about the mountain too.
    come to Poland guys.

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  28. Thanks for all the comments. They get passed straight to the band who greatly appreciates the support!!

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  29. I saw them 3 times in Dec !!!
    And at every venue they played the energy and grit is very good !!!
    in the words of Tired Wings
    Yeah , Yeah , Yeah

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  30. Saw them in Clifton on the 23rd of Dec. I was just there just to grab my usual drink for the night, instead I ended up staying for the entire set and drank some more which is rare for me to do these days.
    They had a Motorhead thing about them and was very friendly with me after there set. I was entertained for about 40 minutes and it went by quick. I recently added them on Facebook and found out about this review from its profile. Great live review and a good informative write up on there first ep. I do like the second ep as well.

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  31. The second EP will be getting a review later this month.

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  32. Angel R. Los Angeles , CaliforniaFebruary 22, 2011 at 3:19 PM

    I just read the second review and I love the way you write about this band. I really enjoy that you give constructive criticism. You make me want to hear both CD's which is what I am doing now. I do this though that " road we call life " fits well on this CD and it show right out of the gate what the band is capable of doing. I heard them do the song live a few times and it always has that magical vibe when it is played. I will read on the other reviews of the bands you have here Aaron

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  33. Hi Angel. I don't always give constructive criticism, but the exceptions are usually for bands so well-known they'll never read these reviews and who have already been picked apart by the masses. As for the small bands I do try to give something of value - they need it more than anything else. If I can't be constructive and I'm just not enjoying a band, well, you'll never see me review those albums.

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